Utility case



.4 m a 1 my N m w w w.@ 1A, A 2 m P q H u w M 2 P mm mm n Rm 5 April 28, 1953 Flled Nov 10, 1949 Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UTILITY CASE Philip A. Diehl, Norwalk, Ohio, assignor to The I Norwalk Paper Box Company, Norwalk, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application hlovember 10, 1949, Serial No. 126,535

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-44) The present invention relates to a utility case and method of manufacture thereof, and more particularly to a utility case formed of semi-rigid foldable sheet material, such as paperboard or fibreboard, and comprising a hinged cover.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved utility case assembly comprising two flat sheet of relatively inexpensive semi-rigid materialp such as paperboard, having adjoining edge portions cut and folded so as to provide interfitting hinge structures by which the sheets are hinged together, one sheet being foldable into the case proper and thevother sheet being foldable into the cover. '1 x I A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved utility case comprising a case proper andcover, ea-ch formed of relatively inexpensive sheet material folded and cut 'in a manner to provide a relatively sturdy hinge construction-by which the sheet forming the cover ishinged to the sheet forming the case.

Another object of the invention is the'provision of a new and improved method of forming a utility case of two fiat sheets of material,such as paperboard, which method includes cutting and folding adjoining edge portions of the-two fiat sheets and hing-in the sheets together, and subsequently folding the sheets to form the case proper and the cover. r

The inventionresides in certain-constructions, combinations andar'rangement's ofpart's and cert n te efprocedureand' further objects and advantages will be apparent tothose skilled in thear-tto which it relates from the following description'of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a utility case embodying the invention; I

'Fig. '2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational plan view of a flat paperboard sheet cut and scored to form the case proper; V

Fig. 4 is an elevational plan view of a-flat sheet of paperboard cut and scored to form the cover: Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing two edgeportions of the flat paperboard sheets in registration with one another preparatory tobeing brought together and secured by a-hinge or pintle pin; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the two'sheet members hinged together.

The present invention contemplates autility 1 and which is'scored as indicated by the broken structure indicated generally at 13.

secured thereto as by an adhesive.

tions are provided along adjoining edges of the Certain sections of the tubular formations at the folded edges are cut away and 03 58 and COVEI'.

the cutaway portions of one sheet are adapted to receive the uncut portions of the other whereby alternate sections of the tubular formations are brought into registration and receive a hinge pin extended therethrough. In its preferred form, the invention contemplates cutting and scoring or breaking the fiat sheets along lines which facilitate folding the sheets to form the sides of the case proper and its cover, and hinging the flat sheets together so that they may bev conveniently stored and handled and subsequent-;

ly made up into finished cases as needed.

Although the invention may be embodied in various constructions, it is herein shown em-' bodied in a utility case I0 comprising substantially rectangular box or case proper I I having" a lid or cover I2 attached thereto by a hinge In its preferred form; the case In is made principally of paperboard, although any other suitable foldable sheet material could beemployed; Preferably,

the cover in its closed position.

The box II isformed of a paperboard sheet I9 which is cut in the shape shown in Fig. 3

lines to provide fold or bend lines by which the sheet may be readily folded to form the sides of the box I I. Preferably, the top edges20 at opposite sides of the box slope rearwardly toward the box bottom. One end portion 2| of the sheet I9 is scored along two parallel, closely spaced lines 22-by which the end portion may be folded back on the sheet proper, as seen in Fig. 6, and The two scores 22 cause the sheet to fold in a close loop and When the folded portion is secured to the an edge of the sheet.

the scores 22 and these cuts are preferably formed at the time the sheet is cut from its stock. Thus, j

when the edge portion 2I of the sheet is folded as described, the openings 23, 24, 25 and DID-H vide cutaway sections'along the tubular formaover the top edges of three sides of box ll when the case is closed. An end portion M of the sheet 30 is scored along two parallel lines 32 about which the portion 3| may be folded on the sheet 30 as seen in Fig. 6, and secured thereto as by an adhesive, to provide a tubular formation along an edge of the sheet similar to that described with. reference to sheet E9. The edge of the folded portion 3! terminates short of fold.

line 33, as seen in Fig. so that the folded portions 31 form a doublethickness for the side formed by folding sheet 3!] along line 33. The sheet has elongated cutaway openings 34, 35, 36 along the scores 32 which are preferably formed at the time the sheet is out from stock.

The openings 23, 2d, 25. 26 in the sheet iii are adapted to register with the uncut folded edge portions of the sheet and the cut portions 34, 35, 36 of the sheet 3t are adapted to register with the uncut folded edge portions of the sheet i9 when the two sheets are brought together edgewise as illustrated in Fig. 5. Thus, alternate tubular edge sections'of the two sheets provide a hinge through which a wire or pin ill is ex-. tended to hinge the sheets I 9, it together. Th hinged sheets form an ensemble or assembly which 1 can be handled and stored in flat formv and subsequently assembled as needed.

, The order in whichthe two sheets are formed into a hinged assembly is not necessarily. that l described. As an alternative procedure the end. portion Z[ of sheet l9 may be folded and attached to the sheet it and the uncut folded edge portions then inserted through the openings t l, 35,

36 of sheet 381 prior to folding the end portion 3}. The wire 40 may then be inserted through thetubular edge portions of the sheet after which end portion 3| of sheet 30 is folded back over the wire and secured to sheet 30 thereby enfolding the wire in tubular sections of the sheet 36. The. portion 3| is preferably attached to the sheet 30 by an adhesiveand the wire thereby secured in the foldededge.

In the form. of utility case shown, the sides of the box H and the cover K2 are provided by folding the edge portions of the sheets i9, 36 at right an les to the sheets proper. and refolding the folded portions to form double ply sides. The sides are arranged to interlock and retain the folded portions in relatively rigid form. The

handle 14 and clasp ii: are preferably attached to the sheets IQ, so before the sheets are folded and made up into a case. The manner in which the sheets are folded to form the sides of the box and cover is well known in the art, and if desired, other methods of folding the sheets to produce the box and cover could be used.

.. Utility cases made in accordance with the in-.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown or the procedures described which may be varied within the scope of the invention and it is my intention to hereby cover all adaptations, modifications and alternative constructions and methods thatcome within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: l. A knock-down paperboard utility case ensemble comprising two sheets of paperboard, said sheets each having scores forming fold lines which define rectangular areas inset from the edges of said sheets and along which the outer edge sections of said sheets may be readily turned at substantially right angles with said rectangular areas and interconnected to form said sheets into a box and a cover for the box, respectively, one of said edge sections of each of said sheets having a. score forming a fold line parallel to and intermediate the score line. on which each of said one edge sections is turned and an edge of said sheet, each of said edge sections being. folded along its last mentioned fold line and defining outer folded portions which are secured to the inner portions of said edge sections, said folded portions and said edge sections being spaced from one another along the last mentioned fold line and defining a tubular formation. along said. last mentioned fold line, one of said; sheets having at least two spaced notches therein'along its said tubular formation, the other of said sheets having an elongated notch therein along its said tubular formation, the length of said elongated notch being substantially equal to the distance between said two spaced notches, the portion of said tubular formation oflsaid. sheet intermediate [the two spaced notchesbeing positioned in said elongated notch and the portions ofsaid tubular formation ofsaid other sheet adjacent said elongated notch being positioned in said two spaced notchesand a hinge pin extending. through the tubular formations of each of said sheets for securing said sheets together.

' '2. A knock-down. paperboard utility case ensemble comprising twosheets of paperboard, said sheets each having scores forming fold lines which define rectangular areas inset from the edges of said sheets and along which the outer edge sections of said sheets may be readily turned at substantially right angles with said rectangular areas and interconnected to form saidsheets into a box and a cover for the box, respectively, one of said edge portions of each of said sheets having a score forming a fold line parallel to and intermediate the score line on which each of said one edge sections is turned and an edge of said sheet, each of said edgesections being folded along its last mentioned fold line and defining outer folded portions which are secured to the inner portions of said edge sections, said folded portions and said edge sections being spaced from one another along the last mentioned fold line and defining a tubular formation along said last mentioned fold line, one of said sheets having spaced notches provided in its tubular formation defining an odd number of projections, at least three, the other of said sheets having spaced notchesprovided in its tubular formation defining. an even number of. projections, at least four, said sheets being joined together with the projections on the sheet having the. odd number positioned in the notches of the sheet having the even number of projections and the projections on the sheet having the even number positioned in the notches of the sheet having the odd number of projections and a hinge pin extending through the tubular formation of the projections on both sheets for securing said sheets together.

PHILIP A. DIET-IL.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 645,214 Prins Mar. 13, 1908 1,173,282 Leary Feb. 29, 1916 10 Number Name Date Borders Sept. 16, 1919 Morris H Juiy 22, 19241 LaBomhardi '7, 1936 Drewx et a1. Oct. 13, 1936 Broeren Oct. 12, 1943 Shakman Jan. 25,. 1944:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 9, 1939 

